User-created list
By helenwhite · Updated January 2024
Across 34 pages
of 34
Greek
"amber, shining, bright"
Though the plays by Sophocles and Eugene O'Neill and via the "Electra Complex" proposed by psychoanalyst Carl Jung, this name has, unfortunately, become associated with incest and murder.…
French nickname and Japanese
"double happiness"
Kiki is one of the Coco-Gigi-Fifi-Lulu bohemian-type French nickname names from the turn of the last century, which have endless energy and sparkle. Artist Kiki Smith is its most well-known…
Latin
"shining sea"
Marilla is a names that's familiar via its resemblance to Mary and variations, but also distinctive: It hasn't been on the Top 1000 since the 1800s and was given to only 27 baby girls last year.…
English diminutive of Catherine, Greek
"pure"
One of the most popular nicknames of the fifties and sixties — and who could forget the romantic heroine of "Wuthering Heights"? — now largely ignored in favor of Cate or Kate.
Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men , with intriguing mid-century characters with names…
English word name
"a fabric characterized by a short soft dense warp pile"
Velvet is a name that couldn't possibly be softer or more luxuriant. Many people have fond memories of it via the character of Velvet Brown, played by the young Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet ,…
Greek mythology name
"cassia juice"
Cassiopeia, the name of a mythological mother who became a stellar constellation, is challenging but intriguing, and has all those softening Cass nicknames available. And with all names Cass-related…
Nature name
Nickname name from the era of Father Knows Best , though we can see it making something of a comeback, a la Clover and Pippa. Cricket has new potential especially since it has recently been chosen by…
Evia is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may be a variant of Eva or Eve, names meaning "life" or "living one" with Hebrew origins. Alternatively, Evia could reference the Greek…
Diminutive of Susan
Much-used midcentury diminutive, now fallen far from favor even as a middle name.
Diminutive of Beatrix, Latin
"she who brings happiness"
A sassy, spunky name for the bold parent who doesn't remember Mrs. Ed Norton on The Honeymooners or who's into the nicknames-as-given-names trend sweeping the UK and returning to the US. Trixie is a…
English nature name
"apple"
When people talk about unique baby names, Apple is often one of the first examples they mention. Apple made international headlines when Gwyneth Paltrow chose this wholesome fruit name for her…
English compound name
"the eastern lake; the pretty east"
Made up of the contemporary and cool East, paired with popular Lyn, this compound name is slightly edgy and slightly trendy, but, is surprisingly literary too thanks to Ellen Wood's 19th-century…
Elenie is a feminine name that serves as a variant spelling of Helen or Elena, derived from Greek origins meaning 'bright' or 'shining light.' This particular form blends the traditional Elena with a…
German
"singled out"
Mystical overtones.
Czech diminutive of Susan
"lily"
This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like…
Spanish variation of Alodia, German
"foreign riches"
As Elodie filters into the mainstream, parents may turn to the rarer Spanish form Elodia as an alternative.
Italian variation of Marilla, Latin
"bright shining sea"
Marella is an Italian name that feels at once unique and familiar, which may either be the best or worst of both worlds, depending on your preference. Only a few dozen baby girls were named Marella…
From Greek
"orchid flower"
Orchid is a hothouse bloom that has not been plucked by many modern baby namers — yet. In the language of flowers, orchids symbolize love, beauty, and sophistication. In a 1926 silent comedy, femme…
Norse
"thunder"
Tora is the female version of Tor or Thor, the name of the Norse god of thunder. Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn chose it for her daughter.
